Mobile industry body GSMA has called on business leaders and policy makers to harness the potential of mobile connectivity and smart technology to achieve net zero by 2050 and limit global heating to within 1.5C above pre-industrial levels. In a statement released ahead of the COP26 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, the GSMA released new research backed by the Carbon Trust showing mobile connectivity and smart technology are significantly underused by energy-intensive industries, such as power and manufacturing.
In fact, smart technology could contribute 40 percent of the required carbon emissions savings for the world’s net zero goals, according to the industry body. In the energy sector, connected technology is only used in around 35 percent of solar grids and 10 percent of wind grids globally. It is also used in just 1 percent of factories across the manufacturing sector globally.
Carbon Trust’s CEO, Tom Delay said, “This new analysis by GSMA… highlights the crucial role that smart and mobile technology can play in cutting carbon emissions and makes clear that much of the technology already exists – it just needs to be rolled out at scale across industries.”
The GSMA is taking advantage of its appearance at COP26’s Green Zone to showcase a 5G-powered, electric, connected autonomous vehicle, highlighting how 5G’s connectivity speeds will help make the future of transport more sustainable.
